gold, glitter and a marching band
by daughter-of-october
Summary: [Characters: Laxus Dreyar, Cana Alberona, Gildarts Clive, Ur Milkovich, a wedding planner] # Summary: "We should have enveloped."


**_gold, glitter and a marching band_**

**Characters**: Laxus Dreyar, Cana Alberona, Gildarts Clive, Ur Milkovich, a wedding planner

**Summary**: "We should have enveloped."

**AN**: This was written for my dear friend Ren who is going to celebrate her birthday soon. I hope that she likes it because well, I have not written something like this in a long time.

* * *

**Magnolia University, Building 4.42, East Wing, Room 1.13**

* * *

Cana Alberona ran a hand through her hair as she stared at the screen of her cell phone in frustration. It was not easy being her these days. Her fiancé was on the other side of the country because of this work and she was stuck in Magnolia with thousand things left to do. Her schedule had gotten messy lately and she was calculating how much time she had left to organise everything. She was so busy calculating and making notes in messy handwriting on the corner of the paper in front of her that she did not notice her professor getting up and stepping over to her place until it was too late.

"Miss Alberona, would you mind to hand over your phone?"

The Professor for History of Literature was a strict woman when it came to her lessons but out of them, she was a kind and funny woman who also happened to be the adopted mother of Cana's childhood friend Gray. Ur Milkovich was known for her attitude when it came to the use of cell phones during her lessons. As the university was not only one of the best of the country but also a rather expensive one and she disliked the idea that parents paid money for lessons their children learned nothing from.

Cana looked up, guiltily bit her lip and held out her phone. "But I am getting it back after the class, right?" she asked. "I have many appointments today..."

"Of course," the professor nodded as she pocketed the phone. "Planning a wedding is hell."

"I am actually meeting a wedding planner later today."

"I hope he or she will be able to help you out." The older woman smiled as she smoothed out her vest. "I am looking forward to it."

It was awkward for her as well, having the best friend of the son in her class, but so far, Ur Milkovich was dealing with it just fine even though it was sometimes a little difficult to stay strict when she knew that her student was about to marry - and she knew because she was invited.

Cana nodded as she closed her agenda. "Thank you, Professor," she said friendly. "Me too."

* * *

**Hargeon, Gabriel Hepburn Street 147, Law Firm I. Dreyar and J. Porla**

* * *

If Laxus Dreyar would have been asked to make a list with the places where he really did not want to be, the building of his father's enterprise was on top of the list - even on top of the office of his strict math professor Jude Heartfilia. Right now, the tall blond man sat awkwardly in a chair that was far too small for him and tried to stay unnoticed by his father.

For the moment, this worked rather good. Then again, Ivan Dreyar only noticed things when they were not benefiting to him and Laxus had no idea why his father had told him to stop by in the first place - because usually, Ivan did not care and he did not seem to care this time either. It was weird but then again, he was dealing with _Ivan_.

The black-haired man had was sitting at his desk - and taunting whatever poor soul he had called earlier when Laxus had just arrived, using the usual unhealthy amount of 'chan' and 'dear' that had marked his way of speech for the longest time.

Laxus sighed deeply. He had other things to do. Like being with his fiancée. He had not seen her far too long and he missed her dry wit and her jokes. She would have kept him calm even now. Hell, during his absence, Freed had taken over the wedding preparations along with Cana and the blond worried that his friend might go a little too far in his enthusiasm once more.

"Father," he said calmly, interrupting Ivan's dark chuckle. "I am leaving now."

The man turned his head and nodded but before Laxus was out of the room, he heard something that would haunt him for a while. "Listen, stupid-chan, the price for my silence has not been paid completely yet," the man was saying. "The usual conditions. You have paid nearly enough for my silence over _your little secret._"

Laxus had disliked his father for the longest time but the idea of his father blackmailing someone did not sit well with him. He would have to ask his future father-in-law for details because Gildarts had known Ivan for the longest time.

* * *

**Magnolia, Serena Alen Street 12a, Hamilton's Event Planning**

* * *

The wedding planner was the kind of woman Cana would have disliked usually. Nerissa Hamilton's hair was the same kind of perfect Mira's hair always was - the way no expensive haircut or extensive styling was necessary. She had met the tall blonde a few times before and always, she had been awed by the woman. Today, Nerissa once more wore a plain blue dress with a beautiful golden necklace. On her fingers, only two rings gleamed - her engagement ring and her wedding band.

"How are you today, Miss Alberona?" the woman asked as she sat down at her desk, carefully pushing the picture frame back into the right position.

"Stressed," the brunette admitted.

"How so?" the older woman asked, pouring tea into two cups.

"Today, I had classes in the morning, then I saw my friend Erza because of the cake, checked in with Juvia for the dress and now, I am here," Cana said as she massaged her temples. "It's a long day for me to be honest."

"And the groom?"

"Laxus is in the North because of his job. He is meeting with the cook there and with the florist. He is trying to keep me from doing it all alone but…" the young woman shook her head. "It's my wedding. And it has to be all perfect."

"A wedding doesn't have to be perfect."

"Strange words coming from a wedding planner."

"I organise _authentic_ weddings, Miss Alberona," the woman said with a knowing smile. "At my little sister's wedding, I organised everything in a small circle because she has a problem with too many people because she is rather shy and reserved. My twin sister could afford the huge wedding I organised for her - she was always a people person. The thing is, a wedding does not have to be perfect after the standards everyone seems to have. I have organised weddings for soccer fans and for people who love the opera. It's not about getting the perfect report in the lifestyle magazine. It's about having a wedding that fits the couple. I found no shoes, for example," she chuckled as she fondly smiled at the picture on her desk. "I was despairing over that because I too thought I needed to do it perfectly. So I came home and told me then-fiancé and he said _'I fell in love with you when you were walking barefoot. I am marrying you, not your shoes. So no stress, yes?'_ and then I realised that I had been putting someone else's expectation first, not my own wishes."

"So you married without shoes on?" Cana asked surprised. Everytime she had met the wedding planner, the woman had been dressed perfectly, never allowing herself to look anything but perfect. This made the idea that she might have looked anything but perfect at her own wedding a little strange to the brunette but then, the woman turned the picture around and it was obvious that Nerissa Hamilton had indeed married without shoes.

* * *

**Magnolia, Jade Tempest Avenue 15, House of Gildarts Clive**

* * *

Cana was painting her toenails and reading in a fashion magazine as she watched how her father paced up and down. It was not unusual for her father to leave home on a Friday evening. He usually went on dates - she pretended not to know about - and would not come back until well into the night. She actually did not want to know anything about it.

However, she did notice that her father was being nervous and this was a first.

"You are not going to propose or something, yeah?" she asked as she looked up from the article about her friend Mirajane who had snatched herself a amazing career as a singer.

"I am looking for a rhyme," her father replied. "Something for eye, something … romantic."

Cana's eyes widened. "So, she is _educated_?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise. This was something new as well because she had doubted the last girlfriend's ability to spell her own name.

"Uh, yes, very so," her father replied with a nervous smile. "She is amazing."

"The word you are looking for would be 'sky' though I have no idea what you want with this."

"Your deep black eyes remind me of winter skies," her father replied with a boyish grin. "I think it fits her rather well … ah well, I need to leave now."

"Say - if it's serious this time … will she be at my wedding?" Cana yelled after him.

"If she can fit it into her schedule - she is a busy woman."

The brunette sighed. In her childhood, she would have thrown a fit at her father seriously dating someone but by now, she sometimes wished that he would do this because otherwise, he would get old and lonely after she moved out. And she was currently moving more and more of her stuff into her new apartment - the one she would move into right after her wedding.

The wedding that was growing over her head.

She rested her forehead against her wooden surface of the table and exhaled. She would manage to keep a clear head during this mess. She had to. She rose from her chair in refreshed vigour and grabbed her jacket before she left the house.

* * *

**Magnolia, Salamander Alley 77, House of Ur Milkovich**

* * *

"Mom's on a date." Gray Fullbuster leaned against the doorframe with a smirk that might have been misunderstood as taunting as he looked at the young black-haired woman who was holding a suitcase. "You have once more a _terrible_ timing, Ultear."

Ultear Milkovich had never been less amused as she stepped into her mother's house. "She isn't seriously considering a relationship?" she asked grumpily. "Seriously, Gray, she is too old."

"I think it's the best time for her to date again," her younger brother replied with a shrug. "Lyon has moved in with his girlfriend and I spend more time over at Juvia's than here. She would get lonely pretty soon if she would not date someone."

"Still - I have come all the way to see her and she isn't there?" the woman rolled her eyes. "And Lyon got himself a girlfriend? Who on earth would be blind enough to go out with him?"

"Her name's Flare and she's the best friend of Gray's girlfriend," Cana Alberona who had been going in and out in the Milkovich' household since her early childhood. "Nice to see you well, Ultear. Gray, is your mom in?"

"She is on a _date_," Ultear said it in a way that reminded the brunette of the way her father spoke about Ivan Dreyar - with utmost disgust and hatred.

"So is my dad," Cana sighed as she walked ahead of the siblings. "When she's coming home? I have to ask her something … I need female advice regarding my wedding."

"Gray said you hired the best wedding planner in this town," Ultear remarked as they sat down in the living room and pinned Gray onto his seat with a glare as he tried to leave.

"I did … but I am getting the notion that the huge wedding we had planned, it's getting too much for me. I spend all my day either at the university or running from one appointment to the next."

"Did you ask Laxus about what he wants?" Gray asked as he leaned forward. Wedding talk was girlish but Cana was his best friend who happened to be a girl and he would not let her down now even though he trusted Ultear with Cana a lot more than he would ever trust Lyon with her.

"He said that he does not care, as long as I am happy. He was against this big wedding in white thing from the start - but well, I thought it was a childhood dream. Now, I am no longer sure."

"The thing is: he lets you chose. It's your call. Either you go through with a dream in white or you cut it down to something you can handle," Ultear shrugged, seemingly uncaring. "Hell, my parents married in white and big party and all. It ended with a divorce because he cheated on her and then, he ran in front of a car and died. End of story. Started as a fairy tale, ended as a horror movie for mom. That's why I don't want her to date anyone."

* * *

**Magnolia, Jade Tempest Avenue 15, House of Gildarts Clive**

* * *

Laxus Dreyar sat on the steps in front of Cana's home as Gildarts Clive returned home and as the older man could not see him from his angle, the blond had a first row seat to watch how Gildarts Clive hurried around his car to open the second door before he helped a woman with a black beanie who wore a scarlet coat out of the car.

"…that was a nice evening," the woman said with a beaming grin. "It has been a long time since I was on an ice rink. It was nice that you remembered."

"I carried your bag back in middle school, I would _always_ remember."

Laxus felt like puking. Bad enough that his future father-in-law had an active love life. But he really did not want to have to witness it.

"Flatterer," the woman said dryly as she shouldered her bag. "Well, I see you next Saturday at the wedding. I know, we usually meet Friday but - I have things to grade. Important things. Also - I need to tend to my personal problems once more."

"This bad?" he asked.

"I got a nice call from our old friend today. He is trying to blackmail me again. But, stupid-chan is in no mood to be blackmailed. If he wants trouble, he can have it. I am done playing after his script. Haven't laughed this great in a while."

"He is still calling you stupid-chan?"

"I was on _your_ side, traitor-chan," she replied before she twirled around and kissed his cheek. "See you around, Clive."

"Oi, ice princess - what did you tell the fool?"

The woman twirled around. "That I am going to make him regret ever messing with me if he tries that number with me once again," she stated coolly. "I am done with him."

"Good luck, Rosenboom," he called after her as she walked away to disappear into the shadows.

Laxus rose from his place on the stairs and met Gildarts halfway. "I came here with a question but it has been answered already … I heard my father blackmailing someone."

"If you are referring to Ivan's dearest stupid-chan, she is no longer listening to him. The fool knew one thing about her - and used it against her for years, even when it was outdated information. Honestly, understanding that woman is a job of a lifetime."

"What has he been blackmailing her about?"

Gildarts stopped. "She sold her ex-husband's firm to your father for a small amount of money to prevent her secret from getting out. I am not messing with her effort now."

* * *

**Magnolia, Hilke Rosenboom Street 2, Aster Hotel**

* * *

The last few days until the wedding passed in a blur and so did the biggest part of the wedding itself. Cana and Laxus had shortened the guest list, keeping only good friends and family on it and telling the bigger circle which would have included nearly all their co-workers and fellow students that it would be better if only the closest friends would come.

However, as family was invited, a clash was not to be avoided.

Laxus was slow-dancing with Cana, happy to see and hold her after they had lived through a few stressful months, when he heard a noise that was obviously a slap. He twirled around, still holding onto his wife, to see how his father lifted his hand to cover his reddened cheek.

"Stupid-chan!" Ivan hissed but the woman in front of him only glared.

"That nerve of yours," she snapped, turning her head and revealing her identity as Ur Milkovich, Cana's professor, Gray's mother and Gildarts' girlfriend.

_"Uuuuurrr,"_ Gildarts said as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from Ivan. "What did he say what got you this mad? I thought you are the mature one here?"

"Ah, traitor-chan and stupid-chan are dating now after all? It only took you more than twenty years and two terrible accidents. Still, can I congratulate you?" the black-haired man taunted.

"Actually, I was wondering whether you aware that you have lost any blackmail material you ever had. That letter you had stolen, it's no longer a risk to anyone now, is it?" Ur asked sweetly as she tilted her head. "You have been beaten in your own game."

"I knew why I always looked up to her," Cana muttered as she smiled at her husband. "She has a way of making things alright for her. I like that about her."

Laxus rubbed his temples as he looked away. "I still think-" he interrupted himself as Ur and Gildarts took to the dance floor. "We should have enveloped," he muttered.

"That would have been very sad, Dreyar," Gray said as he appeared behind Cana, dragging his girlfriend along. "The fight between Gildarts and your dad was too amusing to pass up. Also, to watch Gildarts marching over mom's feet…"

"If you can laugh about it, Gray, well, I can't," Ultear snapped at him before she rushed away to chew out one of Freed's cousins for wearing a mask inside.

Cana raised her eyebrow.

Juvia sighed deeply. "Ultear is worried," she explained. "Worried about her mother."

Laxus shrugged. "I think this won't be necessary," he said dryly as he wrapped one arm around his wife. "I never saw my father-in-law this sappy and romantic."

"He is walking all over her feet!" Lyon hissed.

"So did Laxus."


End file.
